Unlock Your Money Happiness in 3 Steps

We all have our own ideas of what money happiness looks like (as we should) and the amount of money that we seek certainly differs from one another too. We often times mistakenly believe how much money we have matters more than what we do with it. But once you pay your bills and put food on your table, the amount of joy you derive from your money, regardless of the amount, is determined by how you use it.

This is the best news possible in my mind. So many of us have been stuck in the mindset where we have to obtain unimaginable and impossible sums of money to be happy. But that is simply not true. You hold the key to unlocking your money happiness.

Today I have three questions that will help you not only find your money happiness, but better understand what holds you back from grabbing it. Take your time answering the questions and be honest with yourself. There is no right or wrong answer. I find that most people have some very significant money hang-ups that prevent from finding the joy in their money. Money happiness is not for the rich but for everyone. I hope you’re ready to claim it.

How Are You Doing Life?

Some people believe money is evil or that it corrupts. But that’s not true. Money is an inanimate object. It has no mind of its own. You choose how to use it. Some people do choose to use their money in a way that harms people, but that is their choice. Whereas others use their money to uplift and do good.

The only person you have power over is yourself. How you do money is how you do life. What does how you use your money say about how you do life?

Your To Do: Take a look at how you’re currently spending your money. What does it show? Does it accurately reflect your values and the life you want to live?

What Do You Want Your Money To Do For You?

This is question every single one of us needs to ask ourselves. And it’s a question you should not take lightly. How you choose to use your money has a significant impact on your life and well-being. Use your money in a manner that goes against your values will make you feel guilty. Mindless spending makes you feel empty inside. But using your money on what you want and what brings you joy is the sweet spot. Figure out what you want, then make sure your money is always working towards creating your best life.

Your To Do: Is your money working for you or are you working for your money? Lots of people have unconsciously given money their power. Take it back and determine how you want to use money. Set goals and review them regularly.

Are You Worthy of Happiness?

The automatic answer is yes. The reality may be much different. Inside, you may not feel worthy of your money or being happy. You may be stuck in old habits and beliefs. You may need to forgive yourself for past mistakes. You may be blocking or sabotaging your own chance at finding your money happiness.

Your To Do: These feelings are not always easy to confront, but you must. Otherwise, you will never be able to unlock your money happiness. What does money mean to you? And why? Were there specific lessons/memories/observations that led you to feel this way? What can do you to shift any limiting beliefs? Because you are worthy of happiness and have to give yourself permission to find it.

Give Your Money Purpose to Find Your Money Happiness

Money is just paper. We do all kinds of crazy things to obtain it. We obsess over it. We covet it. We spend, spend and spend, believing that happiness can be bought. But it can’t. There is no bottle of happiness on sale at Amazon or Target. You create your own money happiness through setting goals that align with your values. Give your money purpose and you’ll find the true pleasure and power of money.

How did you unlock your money happiness? Or what still holds you back?

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Comments

"How you do money is how you do life" <-- YES! This reminds me of one of my T. Harv Eker quotes "How you do anything is how you do everything." You can't be doing great in all areas of your life except for money. Money is just a reflection of your life. I truly believe this. Great post to share, Shannon!

"Is your money working for you or are you working for your money?" This is such a simple, yet so vitally important question! I think that far too often we assume the latter in our society which generally only ends up being a limiting behavior. That mindset change is an important one to take in order to really get where you want in life. Excellent post Shannon!

It is, John. And it's a question not enough people ask themselves. They assume their money is working for them, but often times, it is the other way around. Shifting your money mindset can have a huge impact on your life.

For me, it took a congruence of several factors to realize that I had finally achieved a healthy relationship with money. For too long, I chased after it thinking that having more of it would solve all my problems. Of course money helps us to obtain a lot of what we need and want yet I needed to learn a few things about myself in order to wield money in a truly holistic and beneficial way.

Many people believe money will solve on their problems but like you said, that's not the whole truth. Money is great power and we do need to learn how to wield in a manner that brings us happiness and is in accordance with our values. I'm so glad you were able to build a happy relationship with money.

Sometimes I worry that I have an over-complicated relationship with money, but I have lots of goals and check them regularly, so maybe it's alright for now. I love this post though, it's given me a lot to think about.

It's very easy to overcomplicate the money relationship, Nicola. But there is nothing wrong with having lots of goals and checking on them regularly is important. So it sounds like to me, that you are on the road to creating a healthy relationship with money and finding your money happiness.

Given your current situation, it's not a surprise that you find yourself worrying about it. But the fact that you recognize that too, also matters. And helps you catch yourself before you let the worrying get out of control.

I always think in my mind that as soon as I can buy "whatever I want" I will have achieved financial freedom. I've had to adjust my thinking, as I'm never going to be OK with being wasteful with money and buying whatever it is I please. I used to think, "If I had X dollars in savings, I could do whatever." Well, I've since hit that number but I strive for more, haha. It's a vicious circle and honestly, I don't think you can ever "have enough" money - so you're right, you need to find happiness elsewhere! I really liked the analogy on how money can buy you a great house or mattress, but it can't buy a home or a good night's rest.

Thanks for the inspiring words!! I'm pretty certain if we all took a look around us, we would realize how blessed and fortunate we all are :)

Many people fall into the trap of thinking if they save enough money or earn so much, than they will be happy. But that means you can go for years without feeling happy or enjoying your money and like you - you can hit the goal, than think you need to hit another goal to be happy. It can be a vicious cycle! It's why learning how to use your money in a way that makes you happy whether you have a lot or a little now is so important. We all need to take a moment and recognize all our blessings every day

Money is always on the forefront of my mind nowadays since there are student loans to pay and a kid to raise. But I feel once this initial "squeeze" is gone, I can have a much happier relationship with our money. I know that as long as my family is taken care of and I don't have to worry about how much is in the checking account, there is nothing to worry about.

It can definitely be more of a struggle to find your money happiness when you have debt and are feeling a bit "squeezed" but it's still possible. You may not have a ton of discretionary income but you can make sure how ever you use it that you use it on something that aligns with your values and brings you and your family happiness.

That's a great analogy, Kim. So many people are hamsters and don't even realize it. Giving money purpose makes a huge difference how you use and think about your money. I cannot advocate enough for people to give their money purposed and make value-based decisions.

I'm happiest when I see money making my life more secure. That includes seeing my retirement account growing, seeing my debt go down as I make consistent payments, and being able to utilize money to achieve my long-term goals.

That just defined the purpose of money and how we should handle it. Shannon, money is really a test for us all. It really hard to know the answer to the test. It challenges our over-all personality whether we use money for bad or for good.

Money can absolutely be a test and how you use it can really define who you are. It's something I think about too because not only do I want to use my money in a way that brings happiness to me, but to also make sure that I use my money in a way that uplifts and helps others.

Really love these last two posts about money and happiness. Some great quotes you have here and some great questions to ask to figure out how our relationship with money can affect our happiness. I think "giving money purpose" is a great concept. I feel like I'm frugal and saving or hoarding money is often it's purpose with no real goal. There is a vague goal of saving for retirement/child's education/house, etc, but it's more often an abstract goal in the far off future. It's almost like Scrooge McDuck from Duck Tales cartoon where he swims in his money bin and loves counting his money, and happiness comes from counting it even though it serves no real purpose.

Thanks, Andrew! I'm glad you really enjoyed my posts on Money Happiness and that they have made you take a hard look at how you view money. Lots of people have goals, but not a "real" purpose on how they want to use it. It is those vague goals, like you mentioned. And when goals are vague, it's hard to stay motivated and focused on them. But when you give money purpose and they align with your values, then you will find your money happiness.

I can relate to the point "It can ENSLAVE you, and FREE you." We are paying off debt, so in that sense, we're trying to undo our self-imposed enslavement. As we do so, however, I've noticed that I feel a new kind of confidence in spending money in a way that really does contribute to my happiness. Right now, for instance, I'm about to go out and eat supper with two friends - not at a restaurant, but at the home of one of them. And on my way, I'm going to buy a bottle of wine as my contribution to the evening. That's money well-spent, and it makes me happy having the freedom to invest in my friendships.

Meet Shannon

"As a Certified Financial Planner, it is my passion to help individuals and families build a healthy relationship with money. I look forward to helping you raise financially confident kids.” - Shannon Ryan